Super Rugby Pacific (2022)

[Kiwiwomble]

I wonder if Solomon alaimalo would have been better off at a different franchise, just speculating. Just thinking, someone who has had anxiety issues relating to competing and trying to be the best, live up to expectations, in top level sport, is probably not suited to the super competitive and serious nature of tony brown. Tony brown is great, no doubt, the type of guy who can lift good players to make them very good or even great players. He of course was someone without the same level of natural talent as others but was super hardcore abd that made him great. Solomon isn't a slacker, but he has immense talent and that makes him quite different. The weight of expectation isn't something tony brown knows. I'm sure he respects and cares about Solomon's situation, I'm just not sure his coaching will ever be the right fit for solomon.

It's a pretty random and speculative, uninformed, rant, I admit. I just feel for soloman, hope he is ok, and hope he does manage to play super rugby again and enjoy doing so.

I've had a chat with other highlanders fans about this, I partially agree although I don't think it's anything to do with Tony, he came down looking for a new start, this isn't a new development that's arisen from being at the highlanders

I'm coming around to the idea that he needs to step away from professional sport for his own good.

The highlanders are famous for their supportive culture

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

A little bit of history with the Drua debut, but apparently 33 penalties!? That's got to be a Super Rugby Pacific record.

 

[Umaga's Witness]

A little bit of history with the Drua debut, but apparently 33 penalties!? That's got to be a Super Rugby Pacific record.

Was that 33 against the drua or game total?

I thought they showed some promise, will be interesting to see how they are going toward the end of the first part of the season.

 

[Al Bangor]

As a Drua fan I expected a closer score, wishful thinking I guess. Hopefully they'll do better in their next match. Still, it sure was nice to finally see them play.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Was that 33 against the drua or game total? I thought they showed some promise, will be interesting to see how they are going toward the end of the first part of the season.

Don't know about the penalties I'm afraid, I think it was the game total. I skim so many news items I can't always retrieve them. It sounds like the Drua had a disrupted pre-season, so perhaps they will improve. Although I read Drua tried to sing 8x European based players but couldn't due to red tape (with the players taking deals elsewhere). Pasifika also reportedly had something similar. I think we'll be lucky if one of them makes the top 8 this year, but Rome wasn't built in a day.

 

[Umaga's Witness]

Don't know about the penalties I'm afraid, I think it was the game total. I skim so many news items I can't always retrieve them. It sounds like the Drua had a disrupted pre-season, so perhaps they will improve. Although I read Drua tried to sing 8x European based players but couldn't due to red tape (with the players taking deals elsewhere). Pasifika also reportedly had something similar. I think we'll be lucky if one of them makes the top 8 this year, but Rome wasn't built in a day.

Reality is these franchises aren't going to have enough money for more than a few test players, and those will be lower caliber ones or those who make a name for themselves in this competition.

I can see players making a name for themselves in this competition then getting a deal overseas. Moana pacifica is basically a career stepping stone for pacific island New Zealanders who aren't good enough to make nz super rugby franchises

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Reality is these franchises aren't going to have enough money for more than a few test players, and those will be lower caliber ones or those who make a name for themselves in this competition.

I can see players making a name for themselves in this competition then getting a deal overseas. Moana pacifica is basically a career stepping stone for pacific island New Zealanders who aren't good enough to make nz super rugby franchises

Yes, I imagine it is a staging posts for players on the way up and players on the way down (or recuperating from injury). I am glad these two teams were created and think they can provide entertainment but I'm mystified of the business case behind their creation.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

Yeah, hanging a lot of that first half of the highlander game on hunt and dawai

There were a couple of players really showing like that might be able to do something ( timu) but we just weren't getting the ball to them, poor distribution and poor clearances, I think he's got in his own head with his kicking, his place kicks have an even shorter walk up than normal and his kicks for touch…he was almost facing towards our line and hooking around…very Awkward

I though dawai looked like he could do something…but why was he on one wing for kick offs but playing on the other, just looked like he didn't know what he should be doing…plus's loads of straight up mistakes

Huge plus was our line out…never seen coltman throw that well, was a worry after Dixon left, please keep it up

Props in general all looked good and strong

Lots of the team are either new or coming back from long injuries (timu, dawai, paea, TUJ, fakatava) and it really showed, hopefully things start falling into place

 

[Umaga's Witness]

Got to be disappointing when ione outplays hunt like that. I thought the highlanders looked really good for a short while in the first half. In the end the chiefs scored too easily and the highlanders never really ending up playing many shots.

 

[Umaga's Witness]

As for the hurricanes, that was frustrating. Looked pretty well oiled on attack, securing our rucks well and passing pretty nicely. But not so good on defence, and the attacking and defensive maul had nothing on the crusaders.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Kind of gutting for the Force that they couldn't hold on to a lead for the last 2 minutes. The fact they got within 2mins of winning in Canberra suggests they won't be whipping boys this year though.

 

[Five Meters Out]

I've said it on here previously, but have to say it again - The referrals too, and the uninvited interference by, the TMO is killing my enjoyment of the game on TV.
I changed the channel following the Ben May decision in the Crusaders - Hurricanes game.
I just couldn't stand it any longer.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

so, round two and we're up against the crusaders

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

I thought the Force looked impressive last week and they absolutely stomped the Rebels in Melbourne, looking like a playoff calibre team. Hopefully some of this talent is west coast raised?

Another tough day at the office for the Drua. Crusaders looking ominous to win so well while Mo'unga is rested after uh... an extended rest?

 

[Umaga's Witness]

Kind of gutting for the Force that they couldn't hold on to a lead for the last 2 minutes. The fact they got within 2mins of winning in Canberra suggests they won't be whipping boys this year though.

Despite not getting a win, I thought they were the best Aussie side in trans tasman last year, like if you looked at each teams median performance. The reds win in that competition was largely due to cards, and while the brumbies win was a very gritty performance it was only the force who consistently showed the grit required to compete with NZ teams.

But more importantly, go the canes! Down by 18 with ten minutes to go, that's the best come back I can remember since the time the highlanders got four tries In Less than ten minutes against the cheetahs to snatch victory

And baylin Sullivan is the man . Every time I've seen him play he has been exceptional. I wouldn't be upset if he was starting in the all blacks. Hope they don't think it's too late to blood too many new players this late in the World Cup cycle (given they will definitely play rts). I hope the canes are brave enough to play jordie 12 Sullivan 13 in at least one game

 

[Kiwiwomble]

Despite not getting a win, I thought they were the best Aussie side in trans tasman last year, like if you looked at each teams median performance. The reds win in that competition was largely due to cards, and while the brumbies win was a very gritty performance it was only the force who consistently showed the grit required to compete with NZ teams.

But more importantly, go the canes! Down by 18 with ten minutes to go, that's the best come back I can remember since the time the highlanders got four tries In Less than ten minutes against the cheetahs to snatch victory

And baylin Sullivan is the man . Every time I've seen him play he has been exceptional. I wouldn't be upset if he was starting in the all blacks. Hope they don't think it's too late to blood too many new players this late in the World Cup cycle (given they will definitely play rts). I hope the canes are brave enough to play jordie 12 Sullivan 13 in at least one game

its was such a crime when the rebels got picked and the force got dumped, force had a genuine academy and actual fans...rebels are all imports and competing with AFL and the most successful team in the NRL

 

[Bada-Bing!]

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Moana looked better than expected. Drua picked up a win against the awful Rebels and Force just outclassed a bit by the Reds.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

 

[Umaga's Witness]

Highlanders have seriously lost their mojo.